U.S. patent application number 17/365830 was filed with the patent office on 2021-10-21 for electronic devices having displays with expanded edges.
The applicant listed for this patent is Apple Inc.. Invention is credited to Tyler S. Bushnell.
Application Number | 20210325932 17/365830 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 1000005695696 |
Filed Date | 2021-10-21 |
United States Patent
Application |
20210325932 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Bushnell; Tyler S. |
October 21, 2021 |
Electronic Devices Having Displays With Expanded Edges
Abstract
An electronic device may be provided with a display. The display
may have a flexible display layer covered by a protective display
cover layer. The flexible display layer may be an organic
light-emitting diode display layer or other layer with a flexible
substrate. The flexible display layer may have a central region
with peripheral edges. The central region may be rectangular, may
be octagonal, or may have other shapes. Strip-shaped protrusions
may extend along each of the peripheral edges of the central
region. The strip-shaped protrusions may be bent to provide the
protrusions with curved surface profiles. The display cover layer
may have a cushion shape with bowed edges that overlap parts of the
strip-shaped protrusions, may have curved inner and outer surfaces
and/or planar surfaces, may have rounded corners with compound
curvature, may have edges with curved surface profiles, and/or may
have other configurations.
Inventors: |
Bushnell; Tyler S.; (San
Francisco, CA) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Apple Inc. |
Cupertino |
CA |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
1000005695696 |
Appl. No.: |
17/365830 |
Filed: |
July 1, 2021 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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16390850 |
Apr 22, 2019 |
11054861 |
|
|
17365830 |
|
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62683328 |
Jun 11, 2018 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
G06F 1/1652 20130101;
G04G 17/045 20130101; H01L 51/5237 20130101; G06F 3/0412 20130101;
H01L 2251/5338 20130101; G06F 1/163 20130101; H04B 1/385 20130101;
H04B 2001/3861 20130101; G04G 17/08 20130101; G06F 3/044
20130101 |
International
Class: |
G06F 1/16 20060101
G06F001/16; G04G 17/04 20060101 G04G017/04; H04B 1/3827 20060101
H04B001/3827; H01L 51/52 20060101 H01L051/52; G06F 3/041 20060101
G06F003/041; G06F 3/044 20060101 G06F003/044; G04G 17/08 20060101
G04G017/08 |
Claims
1. An electronic device, comprising: a flexible display having a
central portion and bent edges each extending from the central
portion; and a display cover layer that overlaps the flexible
display, wherein the display cover layer has corners with compound
curvature and has curved edges that each extend between two of the
corners and overlap a respective one of the bent edges.
2. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the bent edges
comprise first, second, third, and fourth bent edges.
3. The electronic device defined in claim 2 wherein the curved
edges comprise first, second, third, and fourth curved edges.
4. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the display
cover layer comprises a glass display cover layer and wherein the
flexible display comprises a flexible organic light-emitting diode
display layer, the electronic device further comprising: a metal
housing coupled to the display cover layer; a wrist strap coupled
to the housing; and wireless transceiver circuitry configured to
transmit and receive wireless signals.
5. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the curved
edges of the display cover layer comprise opposing inner and outer
surfaces with curved profiles.
6. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the display
cover layer comprises a planar portion that overlaps the central
portion of the flexible display.
7. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the flexible
display comprises gaps between the bent edges.
8. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the gaps are
hidden from view by a housing structure.
9. The electronic device defined in claim 7 wherein the gaps are
hidden from view by a colored ink.
10. The electronic device defined in claim 1 wherein the flexible
display comprises a pixel array that extends onto at least some of
the bent edges.
11. An electronic device, comprising: a housing; a display cover
layer coupled to the housing, wherein the display cover layer has
first and second curved edges, a corner between the first and
second curved edges, and compound curvature at the corner; and a
flexible display layer that is overlapped by the display cover
layer, wherein the flexible display layer has a rectangular central
portion and first and second strip-shaped protrusions that extend
from the rectangular central portion, wherein the first and second
strip-shaped protrusions include pixels and are respectively
overlapped by the first and second curved edges.
12. The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the first and
second strip-shaped protrusions are separated by a gap.
13. The electronic device defined in claim 12 wherein the corner
covers the gap.
14. The electronic device defined in claim 12 wherein the flexible
display layer comprises signal lines that are routed around the
gap.
15. The electronic device defined in claim 11 wherein the display
cover layer has a curved inner surface and wherein the pixels are
mounted against the curved inner surface of the display cover
layer.
16. An electronic device, comprising: a housing; a display cover
layer coupled to the housing, wherein the display cover layer
comprises four curved edges and four corners with compound
curvature; and a flexible display layer that is overlapped by the
display cover layer, wherein the flexible display layer comprises a
central portion and four bent edges extending from the central
portion, wherein the four bent edges are separated from one another
by gaps that are overlapped by the four corners of the display
cover layer.
17. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the flexible
display layer comprises a pixel array that displays images across
the central portion and the four bent edges.
18. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the display
cover layer comprises glass.
19. The electronic device defined in claim 16 wherein the four
curved edges of the display cover layer have curved inner and outer
surfaces.
20. The electronic device defined in claim 16 further comprising a
wrist strap, wherein: the housing comprises a metal housing; the
wrist strap is coupled to the metal housing; the display cover
layer comprises a square glass layer; and the flexible display
layer comprises an organic light-emitting diode display layer.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 16/390,850, filed Apr. 22, 2019, which claims
the benefit of provisional patent application No. 62/683,328, filed
Jun. 11, 2018, both of which are hereby incorporated by reference
herein in their entireties.
FIELD
[0002] This relates generally to electronic devices, and, more
particularly, to electronic devices with displays.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Electronic devices such as cellular telephones, tablet
computers, and other electronic equipment may include displays for
presenting images to a user.
[0004] If care is not taken, electronic devices with displays may
not have a desired appearance or may be difficult to use
satisfactorily. For example, displays may be bulky and unattractive
or may not accommodate a desired electronic device shape.
SUMMARY
[0005] An electronic device may be provided with a display. The
display may have a flexible display layer covered by a protective
display cover layer. The flexible display layer may be an organic
light-emitting diode display layer or other layer with a flexible
substrate. The display cover layer may be formed from a layer of
glass, clear polymer, or other protective material.
[0006] The flexible display layer may have a central region with
peripheral edges. The central region may be rectangular, may be
octagonal, or may have other shapes. Strip-shaped protrusions may
extend along each of the edges of the central region. The
strip-shaped protrusions may be bent downwardly so that the
protrusions have curved surface profiles.
[0007] The display cover layer, which may be formed from a layer of
glass, clear polymer, or other protective material may have a
cushion shape with edges that bow outwardly to partially overlap
the strip-shaped protrusions. The display cover layer may have
curved inner and outer surfaces and/or planar surfaces, may have
rounded corners with compound curvature, may have edges with curved
surface profiles, and/or may have other configurations.
[0008] Housing structures may overlap gaps formed at corners of the
central region. The housing structures may be formed from opaque
material such as metal and may help block the corners from view
from the exterior of the electronic device.
[0009] Inactive tail portions of the flexible display may extend
from the strip-shaped protrusions and may overlap each other on a
rear portion of the display layer where signal paths in the
inactive tail portions are coupled to display driver circuitry.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0010] FIG. 1 is a top view of an illustrative electronic device in
accordance with an embodiment.
[0011] FIG. 2 is schematic diagram of an illustrative electronic
device in accordance with an embodiment.
[0012] FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional side view of portion of a
display and internal components in an illustrative electronic
device in accordance with an embodiment.
[0013] FIG. 4 is perspective view of an illustrative flexible
display layer having bent edge protrusions in accordance with an
embodiment.
[0014] FIG. 5 is perspective view of an illustrative display cover
layer in accordance with an embodiment.
[0015] FIGS. 6 and 7 are cross-sectional side views of illustrative
display cover layers in accordance with embodiments.
[0016] FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of an illustrative
flexible display in accordance with an embodiment.
[0017] FIG. 9 is a top view of a corner portion of an illustrative
flexible display in accordance with an embodiment.
[0018] FIG. 10 is a top view of an illustrative flexible display
with edge protrusions in accordance with an embodiment.
[0019] FIG. 11 is a top view of an illustrative display cover layer
with a cushion shape in accordance with an embodiment.
[0020] FIG. 12 is a top view of an illustrative electronic device
with a display cover layer of the type shown in FIG. 11 in
accordance with an embodiment.
[0021] FIGS. 13 and 14 are cross-sectional side views of edge
portions of illustrative electronic devices in accordance with
embodiments.
[0022] FIG. 15 is a top view of an illustrative flexible display
with an octagonal central portion in accordance with an
embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0023] Electronic devices may be provided with displays. The
displays may have curved surfaces. For example, a display may have
a rectangular shape with rounded corners and edges with curved
profiles. Electronic device displays with curved surfaces may have
an attractive appearance, may be viewed from a variety of different
angles, and may have a desirably large area available for
displaying images.
[0024] A top view of an illustrative electronic device with a
display is shown in FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 1, device 10 may have
a display such as display 14 mounted in housing 12. Housing 12,
which may sometimes be referred to as an enclosure or case, may be
formed of plastic, glass, ceramics, fiber composites, metal (e.g.,
stainless steel, aluminum, titanium, gold, etc.), other suitable
materials, or a combination of any two or more of these materials.
Housing 12 may be formed using a unibody configuration in which
some or all of housing 12 is machined or molded as a single
structure or may be formed using multiple structures (e.g., an
internal frame structure, one or more structures that form exterior
housing surfaces, etc.).
[0025] If desired, a strap such as strap 30 or other external
structures may be coupled to housing 12 (e.g., using spring bars,
magnets, threaded fasteners, clips, or other coupling structures).
Strap 30 may be a wrist strap with a clasp such as clasp 32 that is
configured to allow device 10 to be worn by a user. Strap 30 may be
formed from metal, fabric, natural materials such as leather,
polymer, or other materials. Clasp 32 may be a magnetic clasp, a
mechanical clasp, or other suitable clasp. Device 10 may be a
wristwatch that is worn on a user's wrist or other wearable device.
If desired, device 10 may be a cellular telephone, tablet computer,
desktop computer, display device, or other suitable equipment
including a display. The use of display 14 in a wearable portable
device such as a wristwatch device is sometimes described herein as
an example.
[0026] Display 14 may be a liquid crystal display, an organic
light-emitting diode display having an array of thin-film organic
light-emitting diode pixels on a flexible substrate, or a display
based on other display technologies (e.g., an electrophoretic
display, a display having an array of crystalline semiconductor
light-emitting diodes on a flexible substrate, etc.). Display 14
may be a touch screen display that incorporates a layer of
conductive capacitive touch sensor electrodes or other touch sensor
components (e.g., resistive touch sensor components, acoustic touch
sensor components, force-based touch sensor components, light-based
touch sensor components, etc.) or may be a display that is not
touch-sensitive.
[0027] Display 14 may include one or more layers of transparent
protective material. For example, the outermost layer of display
14, which may sometimes be referred to as a display cover layer,
may be formed from a hard transparent material such as glass, rigid
polymer, sapphire or other crystalline material, or other clear
material to help protect display 14 from damage.
[0028] A schematic diagram of electronic device 10 is shown in FIG.
1. Device 10 may include control circuitry 20. Control circuitry 20
may include storage and processing circuitry for supporting the
operation of device 10. The storage and processing circuitry may
include storage such as nonvolatile memory (e.g., flash memory or
other electrically-programmable-read-only memory configured to form
a solid state drive), volatile memory (e.g., static or dynamic
random-access-memory), etc. Processing circuitry in control
circuitry 20 may be used to gather input from sensors and other
input devices and may be used to control output devices. The
processing circuitry may be based on one or more microprocessors,
microcontrollers, digital signal processors, baseband processors
and other wireless communications circuits, power management units,
audio chips, application specific integrated circuits, etc.
[0029] To support communications between device 10 and external
equipment, control circuitry 20 may communicate using
communications circuitry 22. Circuitry 22 may include antennas,
wireless transceiver circuitry such as radio-frequency transceiver
circuitry, and other wireless communications circuitry and/or wired
communications circuitry. Circuitry 22, which may sometimes be
referred to as control circuitry and/or control and communications
circuitry, may support bidirectional wireless communications
between device 10 and external equipment over a wireless link
(e.g., circuitry 22 may include radio-frequency transceiver
circuitry such as wireless local area network transceiver circuitry
configured to support communications over a wireless local area
network link, near-field communications transceiver circuitry
configured to support communications over a near-field
communications link, cellular transceiver circuitry such as
cellular telephone transceiver circuitry configured to support
voice and/or data communications over a cellular telephone link, or
transceiver circuitry configured to support communications over any
other suitable wired or wireless communications link). Wireless
communications may, for example, be supported over a Bluetooth.RTM.
link, a WiFi.RTM. link, a 60 GHz link or other millimeter wave
link, a cellular telephone link handling voice and/or data, or
other wireless communications link. Device 10 may, if desired,
include power circuits for transmitting and/or receiving wired
and/or wireless power and may include batteries or other energy
storage devices. For example, device 10 may include a coil and
rectifier to receive wireless power that is provided to circuitry
in device 10.
[0030] Device 10 may include input-output devices such as devices
24. Input-output devices 24 may be used in gathering user input, in
gathering information on the environment surrounding the user,
and/or in providing a user with output. During operation, control
circuitry 20 may use sensors and other input devices in devices 24
to gather input and can control output devices in devices 24 to
provide desired output.
[0031] Devices 24 may include one or more displays such as display
14. Display 14 may have an array of pixels configured to display
images for a user. The display pixels may be formed on a substrate
such as a flexible substrate (e.g., display 14 may be formed from a
flexible display panel). Conductive electrodes for a capacitive
touch sensor in display 14 and/or an array of indium tin oxide
electrodes or other transparent conductive electrodes overlapping
display 14 may be used to form a two-dimensional capacitive touch
sensor for display 14 (e.g., display 14 may be a touch sensitive
display).
[0032] Sensors 16 in input-output devices 24 may include force
sensors (e.g., strain gauges, capacitive force sensors, resistive
force sensors, etc.), audio sensors such as microphones, touch
and/or proximity sensors such as capacitive sensors (e.g., a
two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor integrated into display 14,
a two-dimensional capacitive touch sensor overlapping display 14,
and/or a touch sensor that forms a button, trackpad, or other input
device not associated with a display), and other sensors. If
desired, sensors 16 may include optical sensors such as optical
sensors that emit and detect light, ultrasonic sensors, optical
touch sensors, optical proximity sensors, and/or other touch
sensors and/or proximity sensors, monochromatic and color ambient
light sensors, image sensors, fingerprint sensors, temperature
sensors, sensors for measuring three-dimensional non-contact
gestures ("air gestures"), pressure sensors, sensors for detecting
position, orientation, and/or motion (e.g., accelerometers,
magnetic sensors such as compass sensors, gyroscopes, and/or
inertial measurement units that contain some or all of these
sensors), health sensors, radio-frequency sensors, depth sensors
(e.g., structured light sensors and/or depth sensors based on
stereo imaging devices), optical sensors such as self-mixing
sensors and light detection and ranging (lidar) sensors that gather
time-of-flight measurements, humidity sensors, moisture sensors,
gaze tracking sensors, and/or other sensors. In some arrangements,
device 10 may use sensors 16 and/or other input-output devices to
gather user input (e.g., buttons may be used to gather button press
input, touch sensors overlapping displays can be used for gathering
user touch screen input, touch pads may be used in gathering touch
input, microphones may be used for gathering audio input,
accelerometers may be used in monitoring when a finger contacts an
input surface and may therefore be used to gather finger press
input, etc.).
[0033] If desired, electronic device 10 may include additional
components (see, e.g., other devices 18 in input-output devices
24). The additional components may include haptic output devices,
audio output devices such as speakers, light producing output
devices such as light-emitting diodes for status indicators, light
sources such as light-emitting diodes (e.g., crystalline
semiconductor light-emitting diodes) that illuminate portions of a
housing, gaps in displays, and/or other display structures, other
optical output devices, and/or other circuitry for gathering input
and/or providing output. Device 10 may also include a battery or
other energy storage device, connector ports for supporting wired
communication with ancillary equipment and for receiving wired
power, and other circuitry.
[0034] A cross-sectional side view of an edge portion of an
illustrative display and associated internal components in device
10 is shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, the interior of device
10 may include one or more printed circuit such as printed circuit
48 with electrical components 50. Components 50 may include
integrated circuits (e.g., control circuitry 20, communications
circuitry 22), input-output devices 24 such as sensors 16 and
devices 18, and other circuitry.
[0035] As shown in the illustrative configuration of FIG. 3,
display 14 may be mounted on front face FR of device 10 and housing
12 may be formed on opposing rear face RR of device 10. Housing 12
and/or portions of display 14 may form sidewall portions of device
10 such as sidewall E.
[0036] Display 14 may include a flexible display layer such as
flexible display layer 42 having an array of pixels 44 on a
flexible substrate (e.g., a polyimide substrate or other flexible
polymer layer). Pixels 44 may be crystalline semiconductor
light-emitting diode pixels or pixels formed thin-film organic
light-emitting diodes and other thin-film circuitry. Display layer
42 may be covered with a transparent protective layer such as
display cover layer 40. Display cover layer 40 may be formed from
glass, polymer, crystalline material such as sapphire, or other
transparent material and/or combinations of these materials. A
layer of adhesive (polymer) such as layer 46 may be used to attach
display layer 42 to the inner surface of display cover layer 40, if
desired. In some configurations, an internal frame structure may be
provided to support some or all of display layer 42 (e.g., from the
underside of layer 42).
[0037] In the example of FIG. 3, display cover layer 40 has inner
and outer surfaces with curved profiles. If desired, the surfaces
of display cover layer 42 may include planar portions (e.g., flat
areas associated with the center of front face FR, vertical
sidewall portions on sidewall E, etc.). The configuration of FIG. 3
is illustrative.
[0038] Display layer 42 may have any suitable shape. With one
illustrative configuration, display layer 42 has a central portion
with peripheral edge protrusions that are bent. This type of
arrangement is shown in FIG. 4. As shown in FIG. 4, display layer
42 may have a central portion such as central portion 42C. Central
portion 42C may be planar or may have a curved surface profile. The
outline (footprint when viewed from above) of central portion 42C
may be rectangular or portion 42C may have an outline of other
suitable shapes. In the example of FIG. 4, central portion 42C is
square and has four peripheral edges. Elongated strip-shaped
protrusions 42P may protrude from one or more of the four
peripheral edges of portion 42C. For example, there may be
protrusions 42P on the opposing left and right sides of portion
42C, there may be protrusions 42P on the opposing upper and lower
edges of portion 42C, or there may be protrusions 42P or all four
edges of portion 42C as shown in FIG. 4. Configurations in which
there are other numbers of protrusions 42P (e.g., three
protrusions, at least five protrusions, at least eight protrusions,
etc.) may also be used.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 4, the peripheral edge portions of layer 42
may be bent so that the surface of each protrusion 42P has a curved
profile. This enlarges the outline (footprint) of display layer 42
in the X-Y plane when viewed from above by viewer 43 in downward
direction 45 (the -Z direction of FIG. 4) while at the same time
covering internal components in device 10 with portions of display
layer 42 when viewed from the side. Gaps G between sets of pixels
on respective opposing edges of layer 42 may be present at the
corners of display layer 42, but may, if desired, be reduced in
size by additional bending of protrusions 42P. Colored ink (e.g.,
black polymer, polymer colored with a non-neutral colorant, etc.),
light-emitting diodes, or other structures may be used in gaps G to
help obscure gaps G from view. Bezel structures (e.g., housing
structures such as portions of polymer or metal housing sidewalls)
and other structures may also be used to visually block gaps G when
the display of device 10 is viewed in direction 45.
[0040] Display 14 (and associated layers 40 and 42) may be
rectangular (e.g., display 14 may have a rectangular shape with
rounded corners), may be square (e.g., display 14 may have a square
outline with rounded corners), may have a circular or oval outline,
or may have other suitable shapes. A perspective view of display
cover layer 40 in an illustrative configuration in which display
cover layer 40 is square is shown in FIG. 5. As shown in FIG. 5,
display cover layer 40 may have a square outline with rounded
corners when viewed from above in direction 45. Display cover layer
40 may have a peripheral edge with four edge segments (e.g., top,
bottom, left, and right peripheral edges), such as peripheral edges
40E. Edges 40E, which may sometimes be referred to as sidewall
structures, sidewall segments, or side portions of display cover
layer 40 may each have a curved cross-sectional profile (e.g., the
surfaces of edges 40E may be curved).
[0041] If desired, device 10 (e.g., display cover layer 40) may
have external surfaces with compound curvature. In the example of
FIG. 5, device 10 has edge portions 40E with surfaces that each
curve about respective edges axes such as axis 53. These portions
(and the corresponding protrusions 42P of display layer 42 that are
overlapped by edge portions 40E) extend along the straight sides of
device 10 and are characterized by curved surfaces that can be
flattened into a plane without distortion (sometimes referred to as
developable surfaces). At the corner of device 10, display cover
layer 40 has curved surface portions 40CC with compound curvature
(e.g., a surface that can only be flattened into a plane with
distortion, sometimes referred to as a surface with Gaussian
curvature). Each of the four corners of device 10 may have this
arrangement, if desired.
[0042] The central portion of the outer surface of display cover
layer 40 may be planar, as shown by illustrative planar exterior
surface 40T of display cover layer 40 in the cross-sectional side
view of FIG. 6. Opposing inner surface 40B of display cover layer
40 may also have a planar profile in the center of display cover
layer, as shown in FIG. 6. The thickness T of layer 40 may, if
desired, be uniform across the surface of layer 40. Edge portions
of layer 40 may have curved profiles as described in connection
with FIG. 5.
[0043] FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional side view of display cover layer
40 in an illustrative configuration in which the center of exterior
surface 40T of display cover layer 40 has a curved profile. The
center of opposing interior surface 40B of layer 40 may be curved
(e.g., surface 40B may have a curved surface profile matching that
of opposing outer surface 40T) or may have other shapes (see, e.g.,
the planar surface profile of illustrative inner surface 40B' in
the center of layer 40).
[0044] FIG. 8 is a rear perspective view of display layer 42 in an
illustrative configuration in which layer 42 has bent protruding
inactive tail portions. Central portion 42C of display layer 42 may
have a square shape or other rectangular shape (as an example).
Edge protrusions 42P may extend along the four peripheral edges of
the display and may have curved surface profiles, as described in
connection with FIG. 4. Central portion 42C of display layer 42 and
protrusions 42P of display layer 42 may have pixels configured to
display images. Inactive tail portions such as portions 42TL-1 and
42TL-2 may extend from one or more of the edges of display layer
42. These tail portions are free of pixels, but contain signal
paths such as gate lines GL and data lines DL that are coupled to
display driver circuitry such as display driver circuitry 52 (e.g.,
one or more display driver integrated circuits, etc.). During
operation, gate lines GL may be used to convey gate line signals
(also sometimes referred to as gate signals, control signals, scan
signals, emission control signals, etc.) onto control gates of
transistors (e.g., thin-film transistors) in the pixels of display
layer 42 while date lines DL convey corresponding data (pixel
values) to the pixels of display layer 42.
[0045] In the illustrative configuration of FIG. 8, tail portion
42TL-1 extends from a first of protrusions 42P and tail portion
42TL-2 extends from a second of protrusions 42P. These tail
portions may be folded under region 42C and coupled to printed
circuit 54 at the rear of display layer 42. Printed circuits such
as printed circuit 54 may be coupled to tail portions 42TL-1 and/or
42TL-2 using conductive adhesive, solder, or other conductive
material. Display driver circuitry 52, connectors (for coupling to
display driver circuitry on additional printed circuits), and/or
other circuitry in device 10 may be mounted on printed circuit 54
and/or otherwise coupled to printed circuit 54 and/or display layer
42. Printed circuit 54 may be a rigid printed circuit (e.g., a
printed circuit board formed from fiberglass-filled epoxy or other
rigid printed circuit board material) or may be a flexible printed
circuit. If desired, display driver circuitry 52 may be mounted
directly on a portion of display layer 42 (e.g., using conductive
adhesive, solder, etc.)
[0046] The outermost border areas of layer 42 may form inactive
areas of display 14. As shown in the illustrative corner portion of
display layer 42 of FIG. 9, layer 42 may, for example, have a
border such as inactive area IA that is free of pixels, but that
contains metal traces forming signal paths 64 for carrying power
signals, control signals, and/or data signals for display 14. Bend
axes 60 and 62, about which respective protrusions 42P are bent,
may be located away from corner 65 of the substrate of layer 42 and
the pixels of layer 42 so that bending occurs in portions of paths
64 that are able to tolerate bending stress. As shown in FIG. 9,
for example, bend axis 60 may be located to the right of corner 65,
so that the strip-shaped protrusion running along the right edge of
layer 42 of FIG. 9 experiences bending only at a location that is
farther to the right than corner 65 and bend axis 62 may be located
below corner 65, so that the strip-shaped protrusion running along
the lower edge of layer 42 of FIG. 9 experiences bending only at a
location that is farther down than corner 65. In this way, bending
of the strip-shaped protrusions is limited to areas of layer 42
where compound curvature (spherical bent surfaces) will not be
created. If desired, bend axis 60 may be located inboard of corner
65 (slightly to the left of corner 65 of FIG. 9) and bend axis 62
may be located inboard of corner 65 (slightly above corner 65).
Configurations such as these in which the bend axes of the
strip-shaped protrusions are located inboard of the corners of
layer 42 may give rise to small amounts of compound curvature
(spherical bending), but this can be acceptable in appropriate
situations provided that the circuitry located in the area of
compound curvature is not overly sensitive to stress.
[0047] FIG. 10 is a top view of display layer 42 in an illustrative
configuration in which central display layer region 42C is
rectangular (e.g., square) and in which strip-shaped protrusions
42P extend along each of the four peripheral edges of central
region 42C. Portions 42C and 42P contain pixels configured to
display an image such as an image containing illustrative image
content 66 (e.g., a circular clock face, clock hands, numerals,
other content for a clock face, and/or other content).
[0048] Inactive tail portions of layer such as tail portion 42TL do
not contain pixels and therefore do not display any part of image
content 66. Even though corner portions of display layer 42 are
missing, it is possible to display content such as illustrative
image content 66 that extends onto one or more of protrusions 42P
in addition to portion 42C. In some situations, such as when a
visual element in a displayed image such as image content 66 is
circular as shown in FIG. 10 or when the content in protrusions 42P
includes dark background content that tends to visually blend with
the missing corners of layer 42 (e.g., content that tends to
visually blend with gaps G in FIG. 4), little or no content of
interest needs to be omitted due to the absence of pixels in the
corners of layer 42. For example, icons, text, clock face content,
and/or other content can be centralized while portions of this
content extend into the pixels of protrusions 42P.
[0049] The content being displayed on layer 42 can therefore be
configured to minimize the impact of missing corner portions of
display layer 42. For example, control circuitry 20 can be
configured to display text on central portions of protrusions 42P
without extending text or other potentially important information
onto the areas of display 14 associated with the missing corners of
layer 42. In some arrangements, icons, time information, date
information, and/or other ancillary information may be displayed on
protrusions 42. Configurations in which background content (e.g., a
solid color or pattern) is displayed in protrusions 42P may also be
used.
[0050] If desired, display cover layer 40 may have a shape that
minimizes overlap with the missing corners of display layer 42.
Consider, as an example, illustrative display cover layer 20 of
FIG. 11. In this example, display cover layer 40 has a cushion
shape (sometimes referred to as a pillow shape or barrel shape). If
desired, the corners 70 of display cover layer 40 may be aligned
with the corresponding corners of layer 42 (see, e.g., corners 65
of layer 42 of FIG. 9). As shown in FIG. 11, the central portions
of opposing upper and lower peripheral edges 72 of cushion-shaped
layer 40 bow outwardly from central portion 42C and partially
overlap respective upper and lower protrusions 42P. The central
portions of opposing left and right peripheral edges 72 of layer 40
likewise bow outwardly from central portion 42C and partially
overlap respective protrusions 42P on the left and right sides of
display layer 42. In this way, some or all of the central portion
of each protrusion 42P may be covered with a corresponding bowed
out edge portion of display cover layer 40 (e.g., while little or
none of the missing corners of display layer 42 are covered with
layer 40). This helps hide gaps G while enhancing the area of
display layer 42 that is available for displaying image
content.
[0051] As shown in FIG. 12, a portion of the housing of device 10
(e.g., bezel 80 of FIG. 12 or other housing structures, which may
be formed from metal or other material) may be formed around the
peripheral edge of display cover layer 40, thereby helping to hide
the missing corners (gaps G) of display layer 42 from view.
[0052] If desired, display layer 42 may be bent sufficiently that
inactive tail portions of layer 42 are hidden from view from the
front of device 10. Consider, for example, illustrative device 10
of FIG. 13. In the example of FIG. 13, display layer 42 has an
active area with pixels 44 from which inactive tail portion 42TL
extends downwardly into the interior of device 10. Display cover
layer 40 may have a curved edge portion that is coupled to housing
walls 82 using adhesive 84 or other mounting structures. Housing
walls 82 may, if desired, be formed from opaque material such as
metal or transparent material that is covered with opaque ink or
other opaque coating layers. When device 10 is being viewed from
the side, inactive tail portion 42TL may be hidden from view from
the exterior of device 10 by housing walls 82. When device 10 is
being viewed from above in direction 45, tail portion 42TL may be
partially or completely blocked from view by housing walls 82 and
the vertical or nearly vertical arrangement of the exterior surface
of layer 40 along edge portion 40E.
[0053] Another illustrative configuration for device 10 is shown in
FIG. 14. As shown in the example of FIG. 14, the housing of device
10 may have portions on the rear and side of device 10. For
example, a housing wall such as rear housing wall 82-2 may extend
over some or all of the rear face of device 10 and a metal sidewall
structure in the housing of device 10 such as sidewall 82-1 may
extend over some or all of the edge of device 10. Housing
structures such as walls 82-1 and 82-2 may be formed from opaque
material such as metal, opaque polymer, etc. or may be formed from
transparent materials covered with opaque coatings (as
examples).
[0054] Adhesive or other material 84 may be used in coupling
display cover layer 40 to housing portion 82-1 and in coupling
housing wall portions 82-1 and 82-2 together. Display layer 42 may
be configured so that the active portion of layer 42 is visible in
direction 45 by viewer 43 while inactive tail portion 42TL extends
behind opaque structures in device 10 such as sidewall 82-1. Due to
the curvature of display cover layer 40 and wall 82-1 near the edge
of device 10, the active area of display 14 (e.g., the pixels of
display layer 42) may be viewed in direction 45 through display
cover layer 40 while inactive tail 42TL is blocked from view. If
desired, the outermost peripheral portion of housing sidewall 82-1
may be configured to be nearly vertical to help maximize the area
of device 10 in which images are displayed (e.g., area 88) relative
to the width of the inactive border areas of device 10 in which no
images are displayed (e.g., area 86).
[0055] If desired, device 10, display cover layer 40, and display
layer 42 may have non-rectangular outlines. For example, device 10,
display cover layer 40, and display layer 42 may have an octagonal
outline or other outline with fewer than four edges or more than
four edges (and/or with any number of edges that include straight
and/or curved segments). In the top view of display layer 42 of
FIG. 15, display layer 42 has an illustrative octagonal layout with
eight strip-shaped protrusions 42P, each of which extends along a
corresponding one of eight straight segments of the periphery of
octagonal central portion 42C of display layer 42. Protrusions 42P
may be bent out of the plane of central portion 42C of layer 42 and
may have curved surface profiles. Inactive tail portions 42TL may
extend outwardly from one or more of protrusions 42P and may
contain signal paths coupled to display driver circuitry, as
described in connection with FIG. 8. Although the example of FIG.
15 involves the use of eight edge, display layer 42 may have any
suitable number of edges. For example, display layer 42 may have
more than eight edges (e.g., at least nine edges, at least ten
edges, at least 12 edges, at least 16 edges, fewer than 32 edges,
etc.). Arrangements with more edges may help form a display
footprint that is closer to an ideal circular shape, but may
potentially reduce the amount of active area on the bent
protrusions that is available for displaying images.
[0056] The foregoing is merely illustrative and various
modifications can be made to the described embodiments. The
foregoing embodiments may be implemented individually or in any
combination.
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